


The whitest lie

by Nameha



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, KakaYama Week 2019, M/M, Missions Gone Wrong, Near Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-26 08:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19002067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nameha/pseuds/Nameha
Summary: Yamato makes Kakashi a promise. Of all the lies Yamato has told in his life, this would be the whitest one.A harmless or trivial lie, especially one told to avoid hurting someone's feelings.





	The whitest lie

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Nameha and I'm hella late, kakayama day 5: please don't hurt me!

Tenzo knelt between Kakashi's thighs. His white hair splayed out on the pillow, like a halo. The wind rustled against the confines of the wooden room. Yamato was placing feather light kisses across his jaw. Mask pulled down, to bunch around his throat. Kakashi had his hands on Yamato's shoulders. 

Moments like these, were far and few between. Catching the quiet of the night for a few hours they made the most of their time.

Yamato slowly sunk down, trailing kisses in his wake. He unzipped the flake jacket and rolled his hands under the fabric, drawing it up, exposing the skin underneath. Yamato laid his check across his stomach, mumuring small sweet nothings into flesh.

Kakashi stared up at the ceiling, eyes fluttered, his mind wandering as he savored the sensations chasing a rabbit through him. He shivered when Yamato kissed just above his navel. He felt the man smile into the muscles as they flexed.

"Don't...hurt me." The words were small, vibrating in his chest and Yamato looked up from his position. A warm smile plastered on his face.

"You know I never would." Yamato chuckled, traveled lower, planted another kiss. Kakashi drew him up closer,one hand hooking around his shoulders. Kakashi shifted, putting weight on his elbow, propping himself up.

"I'm being serious. The way we are now..." His voice had an indiscernible edge to it, a warning.

A frown tugged at Yamato's lips, mirroring the one Kakashi wore, face shadowed.

"So am I. I wouldn't do anything to cause you pain." Yamato placed his palms on Kakashi's chest, urging the other to look at him.

"You're not the one I'm worried about." Kakashi's look was hard, searching Yamato's eyes for something.

Yamato sighed, putting a hand on Kakashi's arm.

"I was an ANBU, Kakashi, if you're worried about me dying, we both know life is unpredictable."   
"That's not what I want to hear." His frowned deepened.  
"I know, but it's what you need to. You need to know I'm not helpless.

"I won't survive if I lose you." Yamato's eyes widened in response to the uncharacteristic cut of honesty.

Kakashi cupped Yamato's face in his hands and put their foreheads together, drawing lazy circles with the pads of his fingers.

Yamato closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, placing his hands over Kakashi's.

"I will never leave you alone." Of all the lies Yamato had told in his life, this would be the whitest one.

"Promise..." Kakashi breathed.  
Tenzo kissed Kakashi softly.  
"Promise, me. Tenzo." Mismatched eyes boring into dark ones.

"I promise."  
\---  
Life is born. Life ends. These are the rules of the world, the constant undeniable truths.

The slain ninja at their feet would testify to those laws. Corpses strewn across the cliff that had become the newest battle ground. Blood already seeping into the ground, another reluctant scacrifce to the earth.

Life is born. Life ends. Bodies become the nutrients for a new life; the cycle continues.

Kakashi ran through his enemies. lightening crackled and flesh sizzled. Another life lost.

Naruto, Sakura and Sai were holding their own in the far corner. The smell of ink and gore permeated the field.

Wood splinted in the distance as another shinobi fell. They were outnumbered but they had the upper hand.

"Kakashi!" Tenzo yelled, a wooden wall thrown up to protect his captain.

Kakashi did not flinch, the impact of the wall driving a tremor to the ground. Kakashi pivoted, whipping around in time to see, to his horror, a jutsu striking Yamato.

Yamato had enough time to erect a shield, but it wasn't enough. The force of the blast shattered it; The jutsu collided with his chest and sent him over the precipice, to the depths below.

A strangled cry erupted from Kakashi as lightening roared to life, cutting down anyone in his wake. His sharingan spinning wildly in it's socket, searching for signs of life below.

If the jutsu didn't kill him, drowning would.

A surge of panic propelled him off the cliff face, charka enforced legs hitting the water. He ran down the river. He could hear his team screaming after him as the sounds of the fight died down.

"Tenzo!" He shouted into the water. Fear gripping his throat, choking his cries.

The water ran swiftly under his feet, the tide pulling in raging currents below.

Life is born. Life ends. The thought cuts him like a knife as he searched desperately. A hand clawing through his hair, keeping the cold sweat out of his eyes.

There, on the bank of the river, a body.  
Kakashi sprints towards it, images of a past team, a past life mingle with the present reality and his stomach drops out from under him. He throws himself down, knees sliding in the mud as he gathers Yamato into his arms.

Yamato seems so small like this, so young, crumpled into himself like a drowned kitten.

He's pale and there's a thin line of blood, mingling with water, coming from his nose, his breathing comes out in shallow gurgles.

Kakashi lays him flat on his back, palms pressing into his chest, he feels the ribs crack beneath the pressure but he keeps going. He sets a steady, frantic pace.

His team is by him in an instant, Sakura cradling Yamato's head. Her instructions failing to reach Kakashi's ears through the high pitched whine of panic coursing through him. The world is out of focus, he can only see Yamato.

Yamato, his vacant eyes peeking out just under the lids.

"Sensei." She tries, her voice is one of a medical nin who has seen too much. He doesn't hear her, her plea that "sensei that's enough." He doesn't feel Naruto's hand on his shoulder as he bares down on Yamato's body.

"You promised me!" He spat viciously. His team exchange looks of concern. Sai, his perfectly craft passive face bares a crack, a crease in his brow as he shifts uncomfortably. Naruto squeezes his eyes shut and whispers "damn it."  
\---  
He plunged into the jaws of oblivion.

Clawing at the dissipating light above.

Tenzo feels panic, his whole body buzzing.It's dark, now, he can't remember what he was doing before, he tries to catch the passing thoughts but they slip like water through his minds eye.

He descends lower, the panic is subsiding but the dread clings to his skin. He isn't sure why he is upset, something is wrong? 

Did something happen to him? He thinks but he can't place the feeling. He's not hurt, he's not...anything.

Anymore.

He doesn't feel scared now, he feels calm, peaceful even. The panic and dread have evaporated and he floats in the black expanse. Who is he again? He can't recall, at one point he thought he knew but now he isn't so sure.

The darkness gives way to an eerie green, it's easier to see. He's encased in...glass, this is familiar, he's seen this before, hasn't he? But the thought is gone before it forms.

Huh, what am I? He has hands, he's still a person, right? He pressed them, against what he thinks is glass, flat against the cool surface. There are shapes moving past, he taps, hoping to get their attention. As they come, they are gone.

Strange shadows weaving back and forth.

His eyes roam, trying to process what's beyond the pane. He taps again, no answer.

How long has he been here? It's like he was never anywhere else. It's safe here, secure.

Another figure rapidly approaches the glass, it's distorted, hazy. The figure is clad in grey, that's all he can make out. 

He taps again, in rapid succession. Hoping to catch it's attention.

The figure taps back, softly at first.

Ah, Yamato thinks, maybe there's a way out. Was there ever a way out?

The figure starts to beat against the glass, startling him back. It seems they're yelling, yelling for who, for him? Do they know him? The thoughts race through his rapidly fading mind.  
\---  
"Tenzo!" Kakashi is yelling now, frantic as he attempts another resuscitation. The heart beat under his hands slowing with each push.

Life is born. Life ends. These are the lessons ingrained in shinobi. This is a lesson in futility.

"Sensei it's time to stop." Sakura's tone is firm but her concern is evident. Naruto turns around, hand on his face and his shoulders trembling. Sai clenches his hands and attempts to comfort Naruto, who pushes him away once and then let's Sai put his hands on his shoulders.

Kakashi's eyes widen, his agitated mind running through possibilities. Isn't he supposed to be a genius? Why can't he think, he needs a solution. Anything will do, anything. He would not be bringing home a body. Not this time, not again. Not Yamato.

He flies through the signs for chidori and Sakura screams.  
\---  
The glass bares the weight of the assault and Yamato attempts to hit back from his side, it's all he can do.

Clawing at the glass for the stranger, his nails drag helplessly against the prison.

Slowly, the glass begins to crack, hairline factures spread unevenly through the smooth surface. A voice penetrates the growing pressure, someone calling out a name.

Tenzo. It screams, desperately.

Is that him, Is he...Tenzo?

He must be. The stranger knows him, somehow, is calling out to him. For him.

He wants to be with him too.

The figure is hitting the glass, with vigor, his fists coming into contact with the cracking pane as he cries. He can make out white hair and a red eye.

Where has he seen that before, his thoughts are abstract and he catches the memory, here one moment and gone the next. A memory that blurs at the edges, white hair and a red eye; A smile.

A home.

The thoughts are fading rapidly and the image of the glass going dim beneath his fingers. He feels himself being pulled back, away from the light.

The figure pulls away from the glass, momentarily.

Then the scream of birds erupts. A blue light explodes, making him squint. The glass shatter on impact. Liquid rushing out around him. 

Cold tile greets his damp knees, he didn't realize he could breathe, how long had he been holding his breath?

When he looks up, he's blinded by a white light. The figure comes into view, standing stark against the white light. A doorway. The memories rush back to him.

"K...Kakashi?"  
\---  
Yamato jolts up, vomiting water on himself and Kakashi. He takes deep, ragged breath as his lungs burn with the influx of air. He sputters as he turns his body around, palms sinking into the mud, heaving the last remnants of water.

A hand is on his back, as he heaves. He turns around to face his team. He doesn't have a moment to process when a set of arms encases him, pulling him into the zipper of a vest.

Life is born. Life ends. Bonds form in the space between.

"I knew...I knew, you would keep that promise." Kakashi's face is just above his. His voice is tight, thick with emotion.

"You wouldn't leave me here."

Kakashi's heart is beating against his ribs, Yamato can feel it from this angle. 

It's like someone beating against....glass? He closes his eyes to remember but like a dream it's already gone.

"What happened?" He doesn't pull away, not far anyways, just enough that he can survey his surroundings. His voice is hoarse and his throat stings.

"Captain Yamato!" Naruto wailed.  
"You got hit! And Kakashi jumped off a cliff!" Naruto was nearly yelling, verging on hysterical. He pushed himself between Sakura and Kakashi. Kakashi grunted as he shifted over, still holding onto Yamato. Refusing to part with him.

"It appeared to be, you were dead. Captain." Sai adds, dropping to his knees along side Kakashi to inspect his revived superior. Relief made clear on his features.

"D..dead?" Yamato breathes, but he's here, the dead just don't come back.

"What Sai means is, your heart stopped. Kakashi sensei used the current of his chidori to jumpstart your cardiovascular system." Sakura, still shaken, awe in her voice.

Yamato nodded, taking in all the information. He leaned back into the sturdy chest, suddenly exhausted, the adrenaline wearing off. 

He didn't have time to react when three more pairs of arms wrapped around him. Pulling him so close his ribs ached more then they already did. Happiness, Yamato thought for the feeling swelling inside. 

No, more then happiness.

Something like, coming home.

Kakashi, his team, they were happy he was alive. Yamato was happy too, grateful, that he could still look upon their shining faces.

Life is born. Life ends. In between the cycle of life and death bonds are formed; Bonds that can transcend these laws, if only temporary.


End file.
